UT’s Ballard found guilty, placed on probation

After being removed from the University of Toledo football team on May 25 stemming from a felonious assault charge, senior Isaiah Ballard has been found guilty of a lesser charge.

Ballard was found guilty of the first degree misdemeanor “Assault Knowingly Attempt or Cause Physical Harm to Another or Another’s Unborn.” The charge was amended to a lesser infraction upon recommendation by the prosecutor for “good cause shown.” He will be placed on probation and the case has been continued to Aug. 17.

“I was blessed today I thank everyone for praying and belieaving (sic) this will be behind me,” wrote Ballard on his Facebook page after the ruling.

The incident took place on May 15 when Ballard assaulted 23-year-old UT graduate and current Bowling Green graduate student Carlos Ruiz, breaking his jaw and bruising his face, throat and eye.

Ruiz will be receiving restitution for his medical bills as part of the sentencing requirements attached to Ballard’s probation.

Ruiz had his jaw wired shut for a month and said he lost 17 pounds since the incident.

Ballard has left the University of Toledo after his scholarship was removed by the team. The Toledo-native has 10 priors on his record dating back to Sept. 2007, nine of which he has been found guilty.

Ballard was also found guilty on July 1 on the charge “Open Container any other Public Place” and is required to pay a $50 fine and $64 in costs.

Along with both July rulings, Ballard has been convicted of “Disorderly Conduct; Engage in Fight/Threaten,” “Loitering; Obstruct Free Passage of Pedestrians or Vehicles” and “Failure to Disperse” since 2008. He also has four traffic violations on his record.

Ballard started all 13 games last year at the “star” position, a linebacker/safety hybrid, where he finished third on UT with 83 tackles to go along with two interceptions and five pass breakups.

Alleged Ballard attack victim speaks out

Senior Isaiah Ballard was removed from the University of Toledo football team after allegedly attacking Carlos Ruiz on May 15, breaking his jaw and bruising his face, throat and eye. Ballard has previously been convicted of a crime on seven different occasions since Sept. 2007.

Ruiz, a 23-year-old UT graduate in finance and current graduate student at Bowling Green, described the incident and what led to the confrontation for the first time publicly since it happened in an e-mail to the Toledo Free Press.

“The incident that took place on the 15th was extremely unfortunate,” Ruiz said. “Not only for myself but for Rocket fans all over the area. The following is my account of what took place that night which will contain the utmost honesty and accuracy.”

The confrontation occurred after 12:30 a.m. when Ruiz arrived at a friend’s house. Ballard, who was already present, and Ruiz began playing games with some of their friends. Ruiz said that they were socializing and even figured out that they both attended the same elementary school before a conflict ensued between Ballard and a female friend. He also claims that Ballard had been drinking.

Ruiz claims Ballard began calling the woman a “b—-” and she told him to leave. When Ballard refused to go, Ruiz stepped in.

“I know who to mess with and who not to mess with, and Mr. Ballard was not a guy I wanted to mess with,” Ruiz said. “I knew I had to be careful in how I approached him. I went up to him and calmly told him, ‘Hey man, you have to go. The party’s over and you called my friend a b—- and you can’t be doing that.’ At the blink of an eye, Mr. Ballard’s demeanor changed completely.”

Ruiz claims Ballard began to yell “What the f— are you going to do about it?” to him as he tried to tell him to relax and to calm down.

“I did not want to fight him and wanted to make sure he knew that,” Ruiz said.

In the house three females allegedly tried to defuse the situation by stepping between them but Ruiz claims Ballard “shoved the girls into the wall and the ground” before turning towards Ruiz.

“[He] began punching me in the face,” Ruiz said. “I was sent flying back and began pleading with Isaiah to please stop. He was not listening and once again approached me and hit me with another combo. This time I went down and he came over top of me and began kicking my face and throat.”

Ruiz said the three females each got up and pulled Ballard off of him but could not stop him as he came back again to hit him, landing approximately 10 punches and kicks to his face before he left the house.

Since the incident, Ruiz has been admitted to the Toledo Hospital. He had his jaw wired shut by a plastic surgeon on May 24 and it will remain that way for the next month to help it heal. He has also been on an all liquid diet.

“The pain has been terrible,” Ruiz said. “I never put a finger on Mr. Ballard, offended him or even raised my voice at him. His attack on me was completely unwarranted and now I’m painfully suffering the consequences.

“I hope Mr. Ballard realizes the severity of his actions and does not victimize anymore innocent people in the future. I trust justice will be served on my behalf.”

Ballard’s arraignment took place on May 25 where Thomas Lake posted $1,500 of his $15,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 7 at 9 a.m.

Ballard started all 13 games last year for Toledo at the “star” position, a linebacker/safety hybrid, where he finished third on the team with 83 tackles to go along with two interceptions and five pass breakups. He also returned 15 kickoffs and was named Mid-American Conference Special Teams Player of the Week after returning three kicks for 103 yards and a touchdown against Ball State.

Toledo native Ballard removed from Rockets football team

On May 25, University of Toledo head football coach Tim Beckman announced that senior Isaiah Ballard had been removed from the team “for violation of team policies.” Ballard is the second Rocket football player this week to be kicked off the team due to assault charges. Junior Damien McIntosh was charged with felonious assault on May 20.

“Isaiah Ballard has been permanently removed from our football program,” Beckman said in a statement released through Toledo Associate Athletic Director of Media Relations Paul Helgren. “We have policies on our team for personal conduct that our players must adhere to. Any and all players must adhere to these policies.”

According to records Toledo Free Press obtained from Toledo Municipal Clerk of Court, Ballard was charged with felonious assault with the victim seriously harmed. The complaint — filed on May 19 — stated that “Isaiah L. Ballard did punch Carlos Ruiz several times in the face causing Medical treatment at Toledo Hospital for a mandible fracture.”

The warrant was returned on May 24, and Ballard’s arraignment took place on the morning of May 25, where he appeared with Attorney Samuel Kaplan. Ballard’s bond was set at that time, and Thomas Lake posted $1,500 cash of the $15,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 7 at 9 a.m. in court room No. 3.

The incident was not Ballard’s first run-in with the law. In addition to his pending felonious assault charge, Ballard has eight priors on his record dating back to Sept. 2007, of which he was found guilty on seven and dismissed on the other. Of his eight priors, Ballard was found guilty on four of five traffic charges (operation of vehicle at stop signs, operating a vehicle without seatbelt, flashing traffic signals; red stop light, driving without license), while the other three were disorderly conduct; engaging in fight/threaten, loitering; obstructing free passage of pedestrians or vehicles and failure to disperse, all of which he was found guilty.

A 2008 graduate of Rogers High School, Ballard was the Toledo City League Co-Player of the Year as a senior, earning first-team all-conference, first-team all-district and first-team Division II All-Ohio honors. Ballard started all 13 games for Toledo last season, replacing Dallas Cowboys’ safety Barry Church at the “star” spot on the Rockets’ defense, which is a hybrid position of linebacker and safety. He finished third on the team with 83 tackles to go along with two interceptions and five pass breakups in 2010.

Beckman did not respond to a phone call and voicemail for further comment on this story.